Just a few days to go, and we’re bidding 2023 goodbye. Hopefully, 2023 has been good for you in terms of your health and wellness goals. 

As we open a new chapter, it’s time to create new intentions for 2024. As you start jotting down your New Year’s health resolutions, take a look at the anticipated health and wellness trends for 2024. You never know, one of these trends can help you be more proactive about your health this new year.

1. Bodycare

Body care is still raging this 2024. Sure, it has been making the rounds in wellness trends since 2022, but it’s predicted to make a bigger splash this 2024. As proof of the pudding, take a look at the 2024 Pinterest Predicts Report, where there was a whopping 1,025% “body skincare routine” searches.

Expect a surge of retinol body lotions, body products powered by a trio of AHAs, caffeine-infused moisturizers, and exfoliating scrubs, and more. There’s no turning back on this trend.

2. Badminton

According to Shape senior editor Kristen Geil in this feature story, badminton is coming in hot this 2024. It’s not as rigorous as tennis or pickleball, at least on first impressions. In reality, badminton is a powerful workout that combines both aerobic and anaerobic exercise, boosts heart rate, and improves cardiovascular fitness.

Further, it’s an accessible sport as you don’t need a court to play it. Simply prepare your backyard and install a badminton net and you’re good to go.

3. Plant-based Eating

Interest in plant-based diets will continue to grow this 2024, predicts experts. One only has to look at the data on TikTok where posts tagged as #plantbased racked up 1 billion views in the U.S. in 2023. 

Experts also predict that this year, people will veer away from fake meats to go for real, wholesome plants, such as vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds and other plants. (according to this data on Forbes)

(READ MORE: How eating more plants can help save the planet)

4. Well-Rounded Diets

Speaking of diets, experts have noted a dwindling of restrictive diets such as Keto or Intermittent fasting in favor of more sustainable and wholesome diets. The Mediterranean diet, for example, is not only known to promote cardiovascular health, but also nourishes the body in a more well-rounded way. 

Mediterranean diet is eating that revolves around vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, and nuts, plenty of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), moderate amount of fish, little to no red meat (with a preference for poultry), less sweets, a moderate amount of dairy, and even prefaces a glass of wine or two! It’s no wonder the Mediterranean diet is appealing to many. It’s healthy, refreshing,  nutrient-rich, and a little bit indulgent.

(READ MORE: How to make salads exciting)

5. Digital Detox

Ironic isn’t it? But you’re probably reading this story on your device. Maybe 2024 is the year you finally give yourself a much-needed digital detox, another one of Pinterest’s most predicted trends for next year.

Even though life without social media is hard to imagine, psychologists have noted the ill effects on our mental health. Excessive use of social media has been linked to poor self-image, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and even poor sleep.

For 2024, you might want to ride on this trend of dialing back your screen time so you can live in the moment and actually experience life. More living, less scrolling.

(READ MORE: How to take a social media break, plus things you can do instead.)

6. Group Exercise

Four years after the pandemic first reared its ugly head, causing a series of lockdowns and closure of gyms and spas, face-to-face group exercises are alive and kicking again. Experts noted that the sense of the community brings its own benefits beyond exercise, citing pickleball as an example which racked up 454 million views on Tiktok.

Social sports will come in hot and big, as the world finally recovers from the long-drawn COVID-19 pandemic, with a strong interest in tennis, golf, or other community sports. Experts are predicting an inclination for more in-person engagement, rather than virtual activities, as the world finally heals from the pandemic.

This is also a direct effect of workers going back to the office, as working from home takes a backseat.

7. Big Talk

Gen Z has  been reported to feel more loneliness than other generations. Of course, Tiktok was the obvious platform to convey these emotions, and one trend noted is the term “big talk.”

Big talk is the opposite of small talk. It is the seeking of deeper and more meaningful conversations, and more emotional intimacy.

8. A Focus on Gut Health

An emphasis on gut health continues to be huge for 2024. 

2021 we finally paid attention to digestive health. This coming year, experts are seeing a major uptick in interest in gut-healthy food and drinks, a result of the 60% increase of interest in the topic of gastrointestinal health. Think fermented foods, probiotic and prebiotic ingredients in the coming months.

9. Food for Menopause

Number 6 on Eating Well’s Predicted Health Trends of 2024 is food for menopause, with experts noting celebrities like Drew Barrymore, Naomi Watts and Oprah opening up about menopause, which used to be a taboo topic. Resources for menopause as well as perimenopause are now within reach of the public, and Google’s data shows an increase in searches for creatine and menopause.

There are foods that can help reduce unwanted symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes, so a menopause-friendly eating pattern will start to be a focus for many minus the stigma.

10. More mocktails

As more and more people discover the health benefits of ditching alcohol (as well as avoiding the dreaded hangover), an interest for mocktails has been steadily rising. Fun and friendly mocktails are arriving big and fast in the market, with Pinterest reporting a surge of content featuring tropical-inspired mocktails like pineapple, coconut and other island-themed fruits.

Get ahead of the trend by ringing in the new year with a mocktail or two. Cheers to 2024!

See how 2024 predictions compare to 2023: read the story here.

References:

Eating Well: Top 10 Nutrition Trends 2024

Shape: Main reference, Biggest Wellness Trends 2024 according to experts

Forbes: Top Nutrition and Fitness Trends 2024